AeroSpace is a tiling window manager for macOS that brings i3-like keyboard-driven window management to Apple's operating system.
The tool addresses the limitations of macOS's native window management by implementing a tree-based tiling paradigm inspired by i3. Rather than relying on macOS Spaces, which the project identifies as having considerable limitations, AeroSpace provides its own virtual workspace emulation that enables fast switching without animations and without requiring System Integrity Protection to be disabled. Windows are organized hierarchically in a tree structure, and the manager operates primarily through a command-line interface with plain-text TOML configuration, making it suitable for dotfiles-based workflows.
AeroSpace suits developers and power users accustomed to Linux tiling window managers who want that workflow on macOS without compromising system security. It handles multi-monitor setups using i3-like paradigms and includes shell completion and manual pages. The tool is distributed via Homebrew with automatic updates. Users should be aware that the software is not notarized by Apple; the Homebrew installation handles the quarantine attribute automatically, but this reflects the maintainer's deliberate choice regarding Apple's notarization process rather than a security concern.
The project receives issues from both core contributors and external users, indicating adoption beyond the maintainers without creating an unsustainable support burden. Maintainers typically respond to new issues and pull requests within a day. Work in the issue tracker centers on bug fixes, feature requests, and tasks marked as good entry points for new contributors.
